Flexibility of functional neuronal assemblies supports human memory

Gray Umbach, Ryan Tan, Joshua Jacobs, Brad E. Pfeiffer and Bradley Lega ()
Additional contact information
Gray Umbach: University of California San Francisco
Ryan Tan: University of Texas Southwestern
Joshua Jacobs: Columbia University
Brad E. Pfeiffer: University of Texas Southwestern
Bradley Lega: University of Texas Southwestern

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Episodic memories, or consciously accessible memories of unique events, represent a key aspect of human cognition. Evidence from rodent models suggests that the neural representation of these complex memories requires cooperative firing of groups of neurons on short time scales, organized by gamma oscillations. These co-firing groups, termed “neuronal assemblies,” represent a fundamental neurophysiological unit supporting memory. Using microelectrode data from neurosurgical patients, we identify neuronal assemblies in the human MTL and show that they exhibit consistent organization in their firing pattern based on gamma phase information. We connect these properties to memory performance across recording sessions. Finally, we describe how human neuronal assemblies flexibly adjust over longer time scales. Our findings provide key evidence linking assemblies to human episodic memory for the first time.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33587-0

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